A senior opposition figure in Cambodia has accused the Thai government of attempting to appropriate Cambodian territory using what he described as a “unilateral and illegitimate” map.
Um Sam An, a former lawmaker from the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, made the remarks in a social media post on Wednesday, June 18. He referred to a Thai-drawn map from 1963, marked with Thai and Latin script and scaled at 1:50,000, as a “thief’s map” allegedly used to claim Cambodian land.
According to Um Sam An, the map was drawn solely by Thai authorities and has never been recognized under international law. He said it includes large portions of Cambodian territory, notably the sites of Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Touch and Ta Krabei temples, as well as the surrounding area known as Mom Bei.
In contrast, he pointed to another set of maps annexed to the Franco-Siam treaties of 1904 and 1907, which were created by a joint Franco-Siam commission in 1908. These maps, drawn in French and Latin and scaled at 1:200,000, have received international recognition, he said.
The opposition figure claimed that these 11 sheets clearly place all four disputed sites well within Cambodian territory, with no portion belonging to Thailand.
He further alleged that Thailand’s refusal to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stems from its reliance on what he called falsified maps. He argued that this has prevented Thailand from facing Cambodia in court.
Um Sam An expressed confidence that Cambodia would prevail at the ICJ over the disputed areas. He claimed Thailand, knowing it has no legitimate claim, would not dare appear before the international tribunal.
On June 16, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that his government had officially submitted a case to the ICJ regarding the disputed border areas. The submission reportedly includes the four locations in question and was handed directly to ICJ registrar Philippe Gautier.
Hun Manet affirmed that Cambodia would not back down from using international legal mechanisms to seek a resolution to the long-standing border dispute with Thailand.
Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent weeks following a deadly clash along the border, prompting diplomatic efforts and legal proceedings to address competing claims to the heritage sites.
